Page 8 of Blaze

“Sorry,” she says and, to my surprise, she sounds sincere. “But like I said, you’re in good hands with Blaze and Brute. So long as the Knights don’t get a job that takes them outta town, it shouldn’t take long. Where’d you say you were from again?”

I stiffen and give her a brittle smile. “I didn’t. I’m from the East Coast.”

“Hmm. I have a cousin who lives out there,” Lacy says and digs into the sorbet with a bit better success this time. I don’t get the impression she’s interrogating me, especially when she launches into a story about said cousin and how Lacy disagrees with every choice they’ve made.

Lacy keeps up an endless stream of chatter, hardly letting me get a word in. Rather than annoy me, her cheerful disposition and tendency to flit from one topic to the next like a butterfly has me relaxing into the couch, my nerves disappearing. I learn about Cinder, who is her old man in biker terms, apparently. He’s one of the Knights of Hades and apparently runs a local brewery called Tartarus Taps. I learn about how there’s been no sheriff or police in town since the Knights took over, but that I shouldn’t worry since the Knights make sure there’s no trouble and if there is, they settle it fast.

Lacy is how I also learn that the town, for the most part, supports the motorcycle club despite them being demons and all. That bit throws me off, but when I try to ask about it, she just shrugs and says, “you know, demons,” before taking another bite of the forbidden sorbet and changing topics. Sydney had called Blaze a demon, too. It has to be because they’re bikers, right? Upright, law-abiding citizens don’t join motorcycle clubs and look like Blaze and the others I saw.

More time than I realize passes and the door at the bottom of the stairs opens again. This time a man shouts up, interrupting Lacy mid-sentence.

“Oi, sunshine, get that sweet ass downstairs or I’m leaving and you’ll have to walk to the party.”

My hackles bristle at the gruff, demanding tone, but Lacy finishes the sorbet off with a dreamy sigh and plops the empty container on the coffee table, spoon beside it.

“That’s Cinder,” she says, and a stab of envy hits me at the look in her eyes. She loves the man, even if I want to say fuck you in response to his order. Lacy gets up with a good-natured groan and slips her black flip-flops on again. “It was lovely meeting you, Claire. If you’re up to it, you should come to the party with us. Sydney is going, too, so you can catch a ride with her. Trust me, if you’ve never been to a party thrown by bikers, you should come. It’ll be insane.”

“Sunshine!” Cinder shouts up again, and I remember Sydney saying she doesn’t let any of the Knights up here. A part of me begrudgingly respects Cinder for adhering to that rule.

“I’m comin’!” Lacy shouts back, irritation tinting her voice. When she turns back to me, her arms open wide, she’s all smiles though. “Hugs!” It’s all the warning I have before I’m crushed in her arms again. Based on her hugging ability alone, Lacy is going to be a good mom.

As quick as she appeared, Lacy’s gone and I’m left in the unexpected silence of the apartment. The sun has moved, and a glance at the oven clock has me surprised. It’s just past seven. How the hell did Lacy distract me that long? The door opens and closes, then steady footsteps come up the stairs. I stare at the empty sorbet in horror, knowing there’s no way I can hide the evidence in time.

Sydney’s eyes lock on me the moment she comes into view, then drop to the sorbet. I brace, waiting for her to yell and kick me out. Instead, she lets out a weary sigh and shakes her head.

“Lacy?” she asks.

Relief hits me, and I nod. “Lacy.” Then I frown. “I didn’t even notice that she talked to me, well, at me more like, for almost six hours.”

Sydney walks by and picks up the empty pint and spoon with a quiet laugh and a shake of her head. She heads towards the kitchen. “Yeah, she’s like that. It’s what made her such a good waitress. I swear she’s got some magic in her somewhere.”

Sydney opens the fridge and pulls out a Coke, cracking it open as she turns back to look at me. “So, she probably told you about the party tonight at the Knights of Hades clubhouse?”

“Yeah,” I reply, getting up and stretching. Wow, somehow I’d stayed in basically the same position the entire time, too. “She said you were going. Don’t worry about me, though.”

The last thing I need to do right now is let my guard down and go to a party full of bikers. Even if they don’t work in the same circles as Santi Pastori, someone else at the party might. I made mistakes in the beginning that cost me most of the money I’d stolen when I took off. The only way I’m staying alive is by playing it smart, which means no parties full of strangers.

“Oh, no.” Sydney shakes her head and points at me. “You don’t get it. Lacy said you should come, which means if I don’t make sure you at least make an appearance, I’ll never hear the end of it. And she’ll send some of the probies back to get you.”

A chill drips down my spine at the words, even though Sydney doesn’t mean it like that.

“Come on,” she says, marching into her room and leaving the door open. I follow, waiting just outside her door. “You can borrow a jacket. Shouldn’t get too cold tonight since it’s spring. And if it does, well, there are plenty of guys willing to help a lady warm up.”

The idea of Blaze wrapped around me, rather than the other way around, hits me. It’s quickly followed by thoughts of his big hands on my thighs, sliding up to my ass and grabbing hold like he had earlier, only this time his hands are under my dress.

“Yeah, I know that look.” Sydney’s in front of me again, holding out a black jacket, and she’s grinning wryly.

I take the jacket and slip it on. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I deny and staunchly refuse to think about Blaze again.

“Sure, you don’t,” she says, and I hurry back to my room to slide my shoes on.

He’ll be there, right? No, it doesn’t matter if he is or not. I’m only going to the party because I apparently have no choice. Besides, I’ll be gone tomorrow, and I’m sure the party will be like the ones with the mafia men—plenty of women eager for a night with a dangerous man. Blaze will have his pick, and I’ll keep my head down.

I’ve made it this far. I can make it through a party.

4

BLAZE

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